All about the drums.

[wal4string]

I have been playing bass for more than 40 years and any musical situation I have found myself in has always relied on how good or how bad the drummer is. 

Many moons ago I started work as a cruise ship musician playing in the orchestra, this means that more than a good 90% of my playing was reading and the other 10% chord sheets.

My first cruise found me joining a Trio playing on a ship in the Caribbean. The drummer was the MD and he would forever say my last bass player didn't play it like that, fortunately

the keyboard player would step in and look at my chart and say "That's what's written". After about two weeks the MD summoned me to his cabin to read an email he was sending to the head office stating he felt I would be best suited to an orchestra gig and that he would like a replacement. A month later I joined the Orchestra on a different ship with an MD who was a keyboard player. It was his first contract as an MD and was keen to make an impression. After about 3 weeks myself and the drummer were called for a meeting and was told in no uncertain terms unless our playing improved we would be on the next flight home. The MD took me aside and asked if I felt the gig was beyond my playing. No, I said far from it I just cant gel with the drummer. The drummer was fired 2 weeks later for fighting in the crew bar (instant dismal on cruise ships). A new replacement drummer was found and after the first night of playing the MD summoned the drummer and myself to the crew bar. He wanted to buy us both a drink in his words " Tonight I had two new musicians playing for the first time, and what an excellent job you both did". New drummer was bemused as he knew I had been in the orchestra for close on two months. The MD thanked me for teaching him a huge lesson. I continued playing on cruise ships for the next 16 years.

To conclude, for me it's all about the drums and if things don't sit right with your playing before you give up playing be sure to check it's not the drummer and not you.

My favourite drummer who has played on the most memorable tunes which I only liked because of the drumming and which I only found out it was Steve Gadd, "Fifty Ways to leave your lover""Chuck E's In Love""Aja" etc.etc.

 

Edited August 6, 2019 by wal4string

[ezbass]

The first band I was in when I took up the bass had a new drummer who started when I did. We did some rehearsals and some gigs and it was OK, but I never felt that lock that I heard people talk about and just assumed , because I was new to the bass, that it was me and I wasn’t any good. Some time later we had a couple of gigs which the drummer was away for and a friend of mine, who I know is a great drummer, depped for him. One song in and there it was, the lock. It all sounded and felt so much better. The next gig, my buddy was depping again and the band’s old drummer, from before my time, asked if he could sit in for a couple of songs. Again, there it was, that thing between the drums and the bass. I never doubted myself again in terms of being to able to be a proper part of the rhythm section.

@wal4string you might like this, if you haven’t seen it already, Rick Beato gushes about the maestro Gadd.

 

Edited August 6, 2019 by ezbass

[wal4string]

Rick Beato is always worth a watch.

[DaveFry]

Richard Tee said that Steve Gadd was the best musician he knew .